Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" Mark 1:41 NIV
What we touch can make us unclean. Pornography is a perfect example. Touch it and be stained.
This is one reason why holiness seems so painful to so many of us. We imagine we will achieve it by not touching. I won’t touch lust, greed, envy, bitterness, pride, gluttony, hatred, perversion, gossip, and the list goes on.
Keeping clean in this way can be very tiresome. Especially if something inside me wants to lust after that woman walking down the street outside my window, or wants to pig out on a plate of 25 chocolate chip cookies, or wants to share the juiciest gossip.
It works differently with Jesus. His touch makes us clean. He touches the dirty places in our souls and makes them clean. When He does, I see the woman on the street and the plate of cookies with different eyes.
Holiness is letting Jesus touch more and more of the hidden corners of our souls to make us clean.
Be encouraged!
Dwight
Dwight Clough is the author of four Christian books and is an active member of Lake City Church in Madison. This devotional is also available via email and you may review the archives back to 2002. To contact Dwight or Kim, use their contact form. You may also support their ministry.